Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-05
Our Washington Letter.
ESPECIAL FOR THE EVENING DEMoCRAr.)
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 1887.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 1887.
 The Democratic Congressional caucus, which will assemble at the capitol to-day, will settle the fate of number of aspiring gentlemen who are ambitious to serve their country as subordinates of the House of Representatives. It is the opinion of many that the Hon. l" Sunset" Cox is to be both temporary and permanent chairman of the Democratic caucus. Since I last wrote you, the situation has changed somewhat all the candidates for doorkeeper having withdrawn except two, Donaldson and Hunt, contestant for the clerkship having appeared in the person of w. G. Raines, of Rochester, N. Y., and it is said that he is supported by powerful influences. On the other hand, the friends of the present Clerk, Gen. Jno. B. Clark, of Missouri, confidently claim his reelection.
 Chief Justice Waite, of the Supreme Court, celebrated his seventy first birth day this week, but he does not look 6 day over sixty years. One year ago the vener< he could then have resigned his commis- sion and demanded salary of $10,O00 per annum the remainder of his life. The same may be said of Associate Judges Field, Miller and Bradley. Perhaps in no other country of the world can be witnes- sed four septuagenarians vigorously work ing every day, when they could receive precisely the same compensation for doing nothing whatever.
 There is every indication that the Senate will wage vigorous war against the Presi dent this winter, the provocation being MT Cleveland's appointment of the American Fisheries Commissioners, who rank diplo- matically as special envoys, without the advice and consent of the Senate" The question of prerogative thus raised is quite an old one, dating back early in the history of the Government and it affords political ble controversy.
 The International Fisheries Commission is now in secret session at the state depart ment and consequently the deliberation of this dignifed body are not known to the public.
 The argument in the Standard Oil dis crimination cases, much to the surprise of nearly everybody, has been postponed by the Interstate Commission till January 16. From all your correspondent can learn of the evidence, it seems that rather strong case has been made out against the Jumbo of monopolies, if Jay Gould's telegraph lines be excepted.
 Greater interest is felt in political circles III w do CO WA1dU 4Ady tItuSpkI0 the other end of the capitol next Monday, as the seats of at least of che 26 senators who will present themselves to be sworn in on that day, are to be contested-one each from California and West Virginia, to say nothing of "protest" from Indiana-the situation being complicated i. by the fact that of the 50 senators holding over, 25 are Democrats and 25 are Republicans Riddleberger included. Thus the senator from Virginia holds the balance of power. am informed ths> it is the policy of the Democrats to forestall the contests by urg- ing the seating of all the new selators at once in body, and in case the Republicans refuse assent to the proposition, to produce legislative deadlock. The admission of the senators from California West Virginia involves the right of the State Legislature to choose United States senator at an ex- tra session; thus the decision in these cases will be useful as a precedent to settle fu- ture contests of this character.